Glass container body check detector

Abstract

A glass container body check detector is disclosed which comprises a conveyor for conveying glass containers in a predetermined direction to an inspection station, a rotator for rotating a glass container at the inspection station about the axis of the glass container, and an inspection assembly for detecting a check in the body of the rotating glass container. The inspection assembly includes a diffuse light source for directing diffused light at the sidewall of the rotating glass container in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction of conveyance of the glass container, a pair of angularly related directed light sources located above the rotating container for focusing light through the container into coincident vertical lines of light on the sidewall of the container, from the top of the bottle to the bottom of the container, and a linear array camera located above the rotating glass container and focused on the coincident lines of directed light.

We claim: 
     
       1. A glass container body check detector comprising a conveyor for conveying glass containers in a predetermined direction to an inspection station,   rotator means for rotating a glass container at the inspection station about the axis of the glass container,   inspection means for detecting a check in the body of the rotating glass container including a diffuse light source for directing diffused light at the sidewall of the rotating glass container in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction of conveyance of the glass container,   a pair of angularly related directed light sources located above the rotating container for focusing light through the container into coincident vertical lines of light on the sidewall of the container, said vertical lines of light extending from the top of the container to the bottom of the container and the location of said coincident vertical lines on the container defining an angle with the location on the container where diffused light is striking the container,   a linear array camera located above the rotating glass container and focused on the coincident lines of directed light,   the angle between the coincident vertical light lines and the sidewall location where diffused light is striking the bottle and the location of the directed light sources above the rotating container being selected so that   the image field will appear dark,   inclined body checks will reflect the diffused light upwardly to said linear array camera and   almost horizontal body checks will reflect directed light upwardly to said linear array camera.     
     
     
       2. A glass container body check detector according to claim 1, wherein said pair of angularly related directed light sources are separated by an angle of 15°. 
     
     
       3. A glass container body check detector according to claim 2, wherein the angle between the location of said coincident vertical lines on the container and the location where diffused light is striking the container is approximately 90°.